Medical personnel were arriving on helicopters but stormy weather has hampered the delivery of badly needed aid by boat. Troops and at least five warships have also been dispatched.

The European Commission offered £1.3 million in aid which will help around 65,000 people in the remote area.

Another 22,000 people in Yogyakarta, central Java, will receive European aid following a volcanic eruption which killed 32 people this week. Mount Merapi erupted again on Thursday, spewing ash and heat clouds, according to officials.